UL grad works on Star Wars project for Disney

Thomas Guillory, a University of Louisiana graduate, can't talk about the specific project he's working on for his new job at Disney Interactive, but he can say it's Star Wars-related.

He's a full-time 3-D generalist for the company. He was hired before finishing a six-month Disney Interactive internship as a 3-D artist who worked on modeling and texturing.

Disney Interactive creates mobile, social and console games, including "Where's My Water?"; "Disney Infinity," a multiplatform video game; and Club Penguin, a virtual world for kids. Disney Interactive also produces original programming, as well as websites that are gateways to other Disney entertainment, such as Disney.com.

Guillory, '13,_ a Bordelonville, La., native, holds a bachelor of fine arts degree, with a concentration in computer animation. After graduating from UL Lafayette, he completed post-graduate studies at the Digital Animation and Visual Effects School at Universal Studios in Orlando. There, he honed his skills in 3-D animation, with a focus on video game art.

He then made 3-D models for the military, applied for junior artist positions and sought the Disney Interactive internship in California. In May, he was one of two artists chosen for that internship.

"This industry is very fast moving and there's tons of talented and dedicated people out there gunning for jobs. The Visual Arts Department at UL Lafayette provided me with a very solid art foundation and it lead me to the DAVE School, where I was able to continue to learn and keep growing," Guillory said. "I try my hardest to keep creating awesome things any chance I get and urge any students interested in working in the game or movie industry to do the same."

He has some advice for budding artists: "It's not enough to just complete assignments at school and hope that's enough to propel your career. Work often, work hard and always look for feedback and criticism."